Birmingham City manager Chris Hughton is of the belief that eight months was nowhere near long enough for Andre Villas-Boas at Chelsea.
The West London club sacked Villas-Boas yesterday in the wake of their 1-0 loss to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday which saw them fall three points behind fourth-placed Arsenal.
Hughton, whose Birmingham side meet caretaker boss Roberto Di Matteo's Blues in the FA Cup fifth round replay at St Andrew's tomorrow, says that the time given to the Portuguese tactician was not enough.
"It's a club very much going through a transitional period and I felt he needed time to finish the job he wanted to complete.
"Is it embarrassing for Chelsea? It's their choice on what percentage of managers they want to go through.
"I think these days we can be critical of foreign managers that don't speak the language so well, but he is a real student of the game, he speaks English very well and has got his coaching qualifications on these shores.
"They obviously viewed him as someone for the future but, in that event, you have to give them time to develop.
"But, of course, at the top clubs that becomes difficult because the pressure is on results, the here and now. It is a real shame.""I think it (eight months) is no time for a manager," he said.